Miranda Peterson

EDUC 645

Spring 2014

Model Lesson-4th grade-Social Studies

Longwood Lesson Plan Outline

1. Academic Standards- list the SOL and/or Common Core Standards that align with the lesson

VS 6b Documents

SOL 4.5k; 4.6kUse reading strategies throughout the reading process to monitor

comprehension

SOL 4.1g Demonstrate the ability to collaborate with diverse teams

SOL 4.2 Make and listen to oral presentations and reports

SOL 4.2 Add visual displays to presentations when appropriate to enhance development of

theme and/or main ideas

2. Instructional Objectives- state what you want the students to be able to do as a result of the

instruction (include the audience, behavior, criteria, and degree)

The students will be able to identify that the preamble is the introduction to the

Constitution with 95% accuracy. The students will be able to explain the phrases of the

preamble with 90% accuracy. The students will sit appropriately and attentively.

3. Instructional Design- explain how you will guide the learning event, including the following

components:

o Subject Content/Topics (explanation of lesson goals and what students will learn)

The lesson is during Social Studies time. I will be reinforcing one of the important

documents-the Preamble/Constitution. The students are wrapping up their Virginia

Studies for the year. They have learned surface knowledge of the Preamble. They know

what it is and when it was written. We will be looking at what it says and what it means to

us as Americans. The Preamble is written in words and phrases which are difficult to

comprehend. This lesson will break it down to help the students understand what it means

and the importance.

o Introduction/Motivational Device (how you will engage students and set the behavioral

expectations)

The students will be informed that they are going to travel back in time to 1787

when a very important document was written! The behavior expectations are going to be

set once at the beginning of the lesson with a few short directions as to my expectations.

The lesson will be started at their seats as a whole group. They will need to get out

crayons/colored pencils/markers and glue. After they have everything on their desk they

need to stand behind their chair. I will then ask for 10 volunteers to help me with the first

part of our lesson. As I pick volunteers they will sit on the carpet in front of dry erase

board with a piece of paper that they can’t look at yet. The remaining students will be

instructed to have a seat on the carpet quietly. As the lesson moves on and we move into

groups my expectations will be set by letting the students know their directions of the

group work. They will also be expected to work cooperatively as a group.

o Learning Activities/Procedures (explanation of teaching strategies and outline of

implementation; i.e., direct instruction, guided and/or independent practice)

This lesson will be taught as a whole group and then the students will work in

groups of 2 or 3. When the introduction section is over and the students move to the carpet

I will instruct the students who have volunteered to now look at their paper. They will

each receive a phrase from the Preamble. It has the phrase in blue and “What’s that

mean?” in black. (See pictures for examples.) I will explain that when I read the phrase

from the book they need to stand up and in their best 4th grade voice read it and the

“What’s it mean?”. I will introduce the book We the Kids with illustrations by David

Catrow. The students will be introduced to the dog in the book that we will follow through

and he will also help us see what the important phrases mean.

I will read the book. As I read each page, the student with the phrase will stand,

read, hang the paper on the whiteboard, and sit back in their place. We will then discuss

what the dog is doing in the picture and how that demonstrates what the phrase means.

After we finish the book, the students will be told they are going to make a preamble quilt.

Each group of students will be given a phrase and paper to create their quilt square. On

the square they need to write the phrase at the top, a picture in the middle and their own

sentence of what it means at the bottom. I will show them the example I made with the

word Preamble. I will then place them in groups of 2/3 and they will get construction

paper, a “document” paper (see pictures), and find a spot in the room to work.

As the students work on their project, I will circulate the room and talk with each

group about their picture and the sentence they will be writing. After sufficient time and

observing groups finishing, I will ask the students to glue their “document” paper onto the

construction paper. They will place their items back at their desk and come to the carpet

with their group and their project. The students will read their Preamble phrase, show

their picture, and read the sentence they wrote. After they read, I will collect their papers.

After all papers are read and collected I will create the Preamble quilt and hang it outside

the classroom on the bulletin board.

o Key Discussion Questions (various questions that foster subject content and/or assess student

learning)

What document was written in 1787? Can anyone tell me what the introduction to the

Constitution is?

*As they look at the blue and black sayings after they are all posted- Which do you think is

easier to understand the ones written in the blue or in black? Why do you think that is?

*As we read through the book, I will stop and ask various questions about the dog and how

he helps us understand the phrases. What is the dog doing? How does this help us

understand the meaning of the phrase?-Other questions will be driven from what I am

hearing the students see in the picture.

*As I circulate with the groups, I will ask about the pictures they are drawing and the

sentences they are writing. How did you decide as a group to draw that picture/write that

sentence? – Other questions will be driven from what I am seeing in the groups.

o Closure (how will you wrap-up the lesson)

After the students have all read their version of the preamble and I have collected

all the papers, I will ask them what important document we have studied today? Why is

the preamble important?

4. Differentiated Learning Activities- discuss the context of the learners as a rationale for

differentiation:

o Describe important characteristics and diversity of learners in your classroom: number of

learners and gender, race/ethnicity, school socio-economic status, special needs, and language

proficiency.

There are 26 students in this 4th grade class. There are 13 boys and 13 girls. The

majority of the students are Caucasian. This is a collaborative class with special education

students. Most students come from a high socio-economic status and have had great

learning experiences. All students have English as their first and primary language.

o Explain the strategies utilized to maximize success for diverse learners, including the different

ways you will represent the content, engage students in the learning, and allow students to

express what they know.

The material will be represented in different forms. The students will be using their

listening, reading, and writing skills. I will be reading to the students and some students

will be reading themselves. The students will be working with peers which can be very

beneficial! In their groups they will be showing what they think their phrase of the

Preamble means.

5. Instructional Resources and Technology- list the resources you will need (i.e., multimedia,

technology, lab equipment, outside expert)

I will need: We the Kids, magnets, preamble posters, construction paper, document paper,

sharpies, whiteboard, and example.

Students will need: colored pencils/crayons/markers and glue (other materials will be

provided by me).

6. Formative Assessment- how will you give students targeted feedback on their learning and

measure what you have taught them during the lesson

Students will hand in their quilt patch.

7. Reflection-

1. Why did you model this lesson?

After meeting with the fourth grade teacher, she asked me to do a lesson on the

Preamble to review as they are currently studying the government. She wanted me to do a

lesson with tying the two together and asked me if I would do it using the We the Kids

book. The teacher had taught them about the Preamble and the Constitution; however she

wanted me to take it into what the Preamble says.

2. What instruction techniques did you choose for this lesson and why did you choose them?

In depth question/answer- I wanted the students to really think about what we they

were hearing and how it affects them.

Peer teaching- students need to feel like they are part of the lesson to really be

engaged in it. The students were able to help teach this lesson and I think that helped when

we went into our peer groups.

Peer groups- students learn a great deal from one another and I think it was

important for students to work and learn from one another.

3. Was there an important aspect of the lesson you hope the teacher understood? If so, what was

it and why was that so important?

One of the important aspects of the lesson I hope the teacher understood is that

having the students interact and truly be part of the lesson is beneficial. This was not just a

question/answer lesson the students were helping teach the lesson and helping their peers

understand the Preamble. I think the use of working in small groups was another aspect I

hope the teacher will see can really help the students. Students often learn as much, if not

more, from their peers as they do from the teacher.

4. How would you encourage the teacher to use or implement this technique into her instruction?

I would encourage the teacher to implement this technique by having her look at

lessons she already instructs which would lend themselves to having the students be the

teachers. I would also encourage her by letting her know she probably already has lessons

in which she does this and maybe have her enhance them by using peer groups too. Here is

one of the video clips I could send to encourage her and to help her see it is something that

can easily be incorporated into lessons. https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/student-

peer-teaching

5. How would you continue to support this teacher in her instructional methods?

I will give up my time to help her develop more lessons where the students interact

as the teacher as well. This is not something to do with every single lesson, but can be very

beneficial when used in the right format and context. There are many great articles and

videos on peer teaching. The students are really learning and engaging each other in the

lesson.

Beginning the Lesson and student reading

Students working together

Preamble phrases/meanings and the finished product